Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

Grocery Store Owner Shot and killed in Robbery

December 30, ELAINE, AR - 76 year old Edmund Fong was murdered and his wife was shot and injured during a robbery Thursday. They were owners of Fong's Grocery Store. Police say Fong was sitting in his usual chair and possibly even sleeping when a female robber shot him in the head at his store in Elaine. His wife, 70 year old Mary, was also shot but survived and told police who committed the robbery/murder.


Worker Crushed As Load Shifts and Falls on Him

December 30, CHICAGO, IL - 23 year old Emilio Gallardo was crushed to death beneath 6,000 pounds of marble slabs at a Romeoville stone supplier this morning. Gallardo was inside a shipping container helping a forklift operator unload a bundle of marble slabs weighing 700 to 1,000 pounds each at around 9 a.m., when the load somehow landed on him, officials at Primus Natural Stone said.


Sanitation Worker Struck and Killed

December 30, COLUMBIA, NY - 61 year old Gilbert "Skeet" Welsh of Waterville died after being pinned under a garbage truck Thursday. Welch was picking up garbage on for his employer, Spohn’s Disposal Service out of Mohawk when a southbound tractor-trailer slammed into the back of his parked garbage truck, Herkimer County Coroner Dan Enea said. The impact caused the garbage truck to strike Welch, who was standing on the side of the road, the coroner said.


Gas Leak Leads to Explosion, Two are Dead

December 29, WAYNE, MI - 64 year old James Zell and 54 year old Leslie Machniak, both of Westland, were killed in an explosion at the William C. Franks furniture store leaving the store's owner in critical condition. A gas leak is being blamed for the explosion. Consumers Energy spokeswoman Debra Dodd said a two-inch pipe that was ruptured has been fixed, with a more permanent repair forthcoming.


Service Worker Hit and Killed by Trash Truck

December 29, LAWRENCE, KS - 24 year old Timothy E. Schonhoff died Wednesday when he fell and was run over by a trash collection truck near a rural Lawrence home. The driver of the Honey Creek Disposal truck was backing into a driveway to pick up trash and did not realize that Schonoff had fallen. Schonoff died at the scene.


Car Wash Employee Struck and Killed

December 29, ROCKVILLE, MD - 48 year old Gavino Euseda of NW Washington DC was fatally struck at work Wednesday and a co-worker was critically injured when a third employee apparently lost control of an SUV as he tried to drive it across a parking lot, Montgomery County police said. The vehicle dragged both men across a two-lane road, Friz said. The SUV then slammed the men into a telephone pole support wire and crashed into a curb, pinning the men under it. An investigation continues.


Worker Dies After Fall Into Quarry

December 29, DAUPHIN COUNTY, PA - 61 year old Robert Fishel of Dillsburg was killed after he fell into a quarry on the 2200 block of Paxton Street, police said. He was an employee of the quarry. Police said Fishel was unloading a waste management truck and it's possible the door or debris knocked him into the water. Police said they're not sure if Fishel died from the violent fall or if he drowned.


Delivery Driver Dies After Being Pinned by Truck

December 29, STAR LAKE, WI - 60 year old Donald J. Mietus of Eagle River died after he was pinned between a propane delivery truck and a wall of a building. The truck he was driving was an Amerigas LP Company of Eagle River and police say they believe he was making a bulk fuel delivery. He was an employee for Amerigas LP of Eagle River.


Teen Farmer Dies In Accident Involving Machinery

December 29, ARCANUM, OH - 16 year old John Warner was killed in a farm machinery accident on Wednesday. A preliminary investigation suggests that Warner’s outer clothing became entangled in the power take-off shaft of a manure spreader being used on a frozen corn field.


Social Service Agency Worker Killed in Crash

December 28, PRESQUE ISLE, ME - 61 year old Harold Walker of Caribou died and four other people suffered injuries when a van and pickup truck collided head-on in an accident Tuesday night, police said Wednesday. Walker and another Central Aroostook ARC employee were traveling with clients from Caribou to Presque Isle for an outing when the accident occurred. According to police, another driver apparently had lost control of her vehicle, crossed the center line and hit the van.


Store Clerk Shot, Left for Dead

December 28, KANSAS CITY, MO - a 24 year old college student from Sri Lanka was murdered while working at his job for Inner City Oil today. After an armed robber shot the young man after stealing merchandise and left him to die, a customer ignored him and stole money from the register. Another customer saw the student and called police. Police are using surveillance to try to identify both the robber and the customer who stole money.


Construction Worker Killed on Job Site

December 28, PELLSTON, MI - 61 year old Lee David Syckle of Prudenville died while constructing a new maintenance and emergency services building for the Pellston airport. Authorities believe workers were about to construct a wall at the site when scaffolding collapsed at about 3:30 p.m. Syckle worked as a mason for Grand Traverse Construction.


Trench Collapse Kills Worker

December 28, JACKSON TWP, OH - 50 year old Scott Beatty Sr., died after he was buried in a trench collapse of sand and soil while working in a hole on Cheryl Lane NW. His son was also buried up to his shoulders but he survived. Crews have been installing sewer lines for several months and both men were working for Bontrager Excavating out of Uniontown, OH.


Officer Killed Responding to Domestic Dispute Call

December 28, ARLINGTON, TX - 24 year old Officer Jillian Michelle Smith, of the Arlington Police Department, was responding to a call about domestic violence and was shot to death by a man who then shot and killed his ex-girlfriend before killing himself. An Arlington police spokeswoman says that it appears Officer Jillian Michelle Smith was shot as she was moving in the direction of the woman's 11-year-old daughter in an effort to protect her.


State Trooper Shot to Death During Traffic Stop

December 27, ATLANTA, GA - 38 year old Georgia State Trooper First Class Chadwick LeCroy died Monday night after being gunned down following a traffic stop in northwest Atlanta. After a brief chase, LeCroy got out of his vehicle and approached the car, and the suspect fired shots at him. GBI Director Vernon Keenan said three rounds were fired at TFC LeCroy, and one of them hit the trooper in the neck. He died on the way to Grady Memorial Hospital.


Security Guard Shot to Death Protecting Woman

December 27, PHOENIX, AZ - 34 year old Troy Cooley was shot and killed Monday after a gunman came into the Great Alaskan Bush Co. and started shooting. Cooley was a security officer and stood between one of the dancers and the gunman who had just threatened her. A witness said the gunman told the dancer "you're next" when the doorman stood in front of the dancer, and was shot and killed.


Nail Salon Owners Found Dead in Shop

December 27, BIRMINGHAM, AL - 60 year old Jacky Nguyen and his common law wife 50 year old Nhut Phan were found dead of gunshot wounds inside their Top Perfect Nails salon. Birmingham Police say a customer and an employee found the bodies Monday morning. Police say they are not sure if robbery was a motive or not at this time.


Pastor Electrocuted During Baptism

December 26, WACO, TX - 33 year old Rev. Kyle Lake who was performing a baptism was electrocuted inside his church Sunday morning after adjusting a nearby microphone while standing in water, a church employee said. The woman being baptized apparently had not stepped into the water and was not seriously injured. Lake had been at the church for nine years, the last seven as pastor. He had a wife, Jennifer, a 5-year-old daughter and two 3-year-old sons.


Police Officer Shot in the Line of Duty

December 26, WOBURN, MA - 60 year old John "Jack" Maguire was shot and killed when he gave chase and tried to stop three men after they robbed jewelery from the Kohl's Department Store in Woburn. Maguire, a 34-year veteran of the Woburn Police Department, leaves behind his wife, Desiree, and two children. Officials said Maguire was shot at least four times. One suspect Maguire was trying to arrest also died and two other men have been arrested and charged with murder in Maguire's death.


Snow Plow Driver Killed in Crash

December 26, MT.OLIVE, NJ - 57 year old Richard Kise died Sunday when his truck ran off the road and hit a utility pole. Police said there is no evidence that weather played a role in the accident. “We suspect it may have been a medical issue, but we have no confirmation,” police said. His death is still under investigation.


Plow Driver Found Dead in Truck

December 26, BOXFORD, MA - Joseph Ferrick, believed to be in his 50's, was found slumped over in his plow truck on the Interstate 95 overpass on Endicott Street in Boxford just before 6 p.m. Police reported no accident in the wake of the heart attack, as it appears the truck was not moving at the time. It was unclear as of press time where Ferrick lived or for which plow company he worked.


Gas Station Clerk Shot and Killed During Robbery

December 25, PASADENA, TX - 22 year old Jaya Chanbra Elaprolu, an employee for Handi Stop Conoco Gas Station, was shot and killed by a masked gunman who came in to rob the store. Pasadena police said Elaprolu tried to run away from the gunman. He ran into an office at the back of the gas station. Investigators said the gunman shot at the office door, killing Elaprolu. The victim was a foreign student from Vijayawada attending the University of Houston-Clear Lake.


Contract Employee Killed in Afghanistan

December 25, KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN - 40 year old Kevin Davis of Missouri City, TX died from injuries sustained during a rocket attack in Kandahar on Christmas Day. Davis, an employee for DynCorp International was hired to support the U.S. Army Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP)contract. “Kevin lived and worked in a warzone to help support our troops – that kind of selfless courage is remarkable but too often goes unrecognized until the unthinkable happens. Kevin’s service to our military was heroic and our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family during this difficult time.”


Texas Officer Suffers Heart Attack

December 25, UVALDE, TX - 55 year old Michael Ray Schaefer, a deputy for the Uvalde County Sheriff's Department, suffered a fatal heart attack while struggling with a 16-year-old female who was possibly under the influence of narcotics and alcohol. He and another deputy had responded to a domestic disturbance involving a fight between the girl and another family member. When they arrived at the scene they attempted to place the girl into custody but became involved in a struggle and struck Deputy Schaefer. As they placed the girl into a patrol car Deputy Schaefer collapsed.


Truck Driver Fatally Injured in Parking Lot

December 24, BATAVIA, IL - 53 year old Raymond VanPelt of Aurora, an employee for Black Horse Carriers trucking company, was killed in the parking lot of Aldi’s headquarters on Kirk Road. A preliminary investigation by Batavia police showed that a semi-tractor driver was backing up to a semi-trailer to move it elsewhere in the parking lot and did not see VanPelt walking behind the semi-tractor and accidentally backed over him. Black Horse is a contractor to Aldi and they share a parking lot.


Cab Driver Dies in Vehicle Collision

December 24, SAVANNAH, GA - 61 year old John Maynor, an employee for Executive Cab Co., died in a collision between his cab and an SUV Friday night. Metro Police investigators say Maynor was going west on Seiler Avenue and did not stop at the intersection. The SUV was heading north on East Broad Street and hit the cab. A passenger in the cab and the driver of the SUV were taken to a hospital for treatment and later released.


Texas University Police Officer Dies in Crash

December 24, HOUSTON, TX - 24 year old Ann O'Donnell of Galveston, a University of Houston Police Officer, was killed Friday when her cruiser struck a tree as she responded to a service call. O'Donnell was responding to a possible assault or kidnapping at the Wendy's restaurant on Scott Street Friday when her patrol car crashed into a tree. O'Donnell was the first UH officer to die in the line of duty.


Custom Car Shop Owner Found Dead

December 24, TORRANCE, CA - Joseph Gosinski, owner of Chicane Sport Tuning, was found murdered early Friday morning at his Torrance custom car shop and police say robbery was not the motive. Torrance police and the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office did not immediately report the cause of Gosinski's death, which was being investigated as a homicide, Hart said.


Worker Inspecting Blast at Mine Believed Dead

December 23, WEBSTER, FL - 35 year old Kenneth James Stephens Jr. is believed by officials to be dead inside the collapsed Mazak Mine, near state roads 50 and 471, in the area of Webster. According to officials, workers performed a routine blast to the lime pit just after noon Thursday. When Stephens approached the area to inspect, about 30 feet from the blast area, the ground gave in causing him to fall into the pit. There was no visible sign of Stephens when emergency crews arrived at 12:20 p.m.


Logging Accident Kills Worker

December 23, PILLAGER, MN - 35 year old Daren Rathcke of Sebeka was killed Thursday morning in the Pillsbury State Forest accident. Chief Deputy Tom Burch tells the Star Tribune that Rathcke was killed when he was struck by a tree he had been cutting down.


Officer Shot and Killed Making Arrest

December 23, ALBANY, GA - 39 year old Lt. Cliff Rouse of Camilla, was killed by gunshots fired from a 9mm Glock handgun at about 10 p.m. as he attempted to arrest a man for robbing the Pitt Stop convenience store, county police Chief Don Cheek said. When Rouse arrived, he saw a man running with a gun. Rouse an 18-year, seasoned veteran officer of the Dougherty County P.D., did not hesitate to follow the gunman into the nearby Nob Hill mobile home park. Shots were exchanged, and Rouse suffered a wound to the leg and a probably fatal shot to his abdomen just below his protective vest.


Construction Worker Crushed in Accident

December 23, SONOMA, CA - 28 year old Juan Carlos Villalobos of Glen Ellen was killed when he was struck by a dump truck at a Sonoma Valley construction company yard. Villalobos was fueling a small tractor at 7 a.m. when the driver of a dump truck began backing up and crushed him, CHP officials said. Both men were employed by John Benward Co., a Sonoma construction company.


School Bus Driver Suffers Heart Attack

December 22, PORT RICHEY, FL - 63 year old John Hayes, a Pasco County school bus driver, died after he had a heart attack while driving his bus route Wednesday. About 25 students were on their way to Dayspring Academy Wednesday morning when the school bus veered onto the sidewalk, over to some grass, then back onto the neighborhood street. Quick thinking older students were able to get the bus door open and a passer-by jumped on and was able to stop the bus. Hayes and his wife, Janet, have been foster parents and adoptive parents over the years. Two of their adopted children were on the bus.


Doctor Killed in Plane Crash

December 22, MAHWAH, NJ - 56 year old Dr. Michael S. Lippe of Mahwah, was killed in a plane crash near Barrington as he flew to Upstate New York to cover shifts at a hospital so that other staffers could spend Christmas with their families. He had been en route to Finger Lakes Health and Geneva General Hospital, where he worked for the past several months, family members said. Lippe's plane crashed amidst freezing rain and sleet, not far from his destination.


Worker Dies After Fall

December 16, UBLY, MI - 26 year old Matthew Johnson of Greenleaf Township who fell some 50 feet from a platform at the Rooster Ranch Hunt Club, died as a result of injuries he sustained in the fall. Johnson, who was working at the hunt club, was injured when he fell through a trap door on the platform where he was clearing snow. Police report he fell approximately 50 feet to the ground below.


Construction Worker Dies of Asphyxiation

December 12, CARROLL, IA - 55 year old Steve Weeks was found dead on a construction site in a building located near Highway 71 and Ely Drive after he went there to refuel a gas powered generator. It is suspected that Weeks died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Weeks was working for Rotert Construction who was using the generator to heat the concrete floor.


Following are other workers killed that were recently found:

September 26, MELVILLE, NY - Pedro Martir was crushed between a gold cart and trailer. He was employed with Thomas School of Horsemanship.

September 28, REDFIELD, NY - 35 year old David J. Taylor of Natural Bridge was pinned between two trees he had cut down. He was employed by Bryan Zehr Logging.

October 1, NEWLAND, NC - 53 year old Kenneth Wayne Benfield, an employee for Crescent Resources, was found in the water near his boat. He was not wearing a life jacket.

October 1, COLLETTSVILLE, NC - 51 year old Terry Douglas Key, an employee for Crescent Resources, was found in the water near his boat. He was not wearing a life jacket.

October 6, ELLENVILLE, NY - 60 year old Leland Wood, security guard for Renaissance Project rehabilitation center, was stabbed to death by a patient of the in-patient center.

Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

Two Chicago Firefighters Die Fighting Blaze

December 22, CHICAGO, IL - 34 year old Corey Ankum and 47 year old Edward Stringer, both with the Chicago Fire Department were killed after becoming trapped when the roof and walls of an abandoned South Side building collapsed. At least 17 other firefighters were injured, some of them critically.


Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in Wreck

December 22, MARION COUNTY, WV - 60 year old Ronnie Lee Dennison of Louisville, KY died when his tractor-trailer collided with the underpass bridge near the 131 mile marker, according to authorities on scene. The vehicle exploded with the driver trapped inside. According to the press release, there was no evidence of pre-impact braking, and there was no information identified to help determine the cause for the crash.


Worker Electrocuted

December 22, AUSTIN, TX - an unidentified 50 year old man died when he was electrocuted at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board building in North Austin, an official for the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services said. The man was an employee for Global Electric.


Man Falls to Death at Energy Plant

December 22, BETHLEHEM, PA - 48 year old Ronald Lavoie Jr of Blakesee died today after falling off a 17-foot-high catwalk at the Bethlehem Energy Center, owned by Calpin Corp. on Applebutter Road, Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek said. The coroner ruled his death to be accidental caused by blunt force trauma to his head. It was not known why Lavoie fell.


Man Killed Working on Bridge Construction

December 21, CAPE GIRARDEAU, IL - 51 year old Zane A. Martin of Stonefort was killed on a bridge construction site on Route 146 near East Cape Girardeau. "It appeared they were forming up a box culvert," Mark Hasheider of the Cape Girardeau fire department said. "They have shoring under the rebar and then they pour concrete on that. Somehow it collapsed." Martin was trapped under at least a foot of concrete. Martin worked for Jones Construction of Marion, IL.


Sanitation Worker Struck and Killed by Car

December 21, BRONX, NY - 39 year old Angel Roldan, a city sanitation worker, was struck and killed while walking outside his district garage on Zerega Avenue in Castle Hill. He spent 11 years with the Sanitation Department and leaves behind a wife and two children. Police are still investigating.


Lumber Company Employee Crushed When Tree Falls

December 21, NEEDMORE, PA - 62 year old Melvin Daniel Powell was killed Tuesday when an oak tree he was cutting down fell on him, Pennsylvania State Police said in a news release. Powell was working on a job for M&C Lumber on private property along Bethel Church Road in Bethel Township, Pa. Powell died of blunt force trauma, according to the release. His death was classified as accidental, police said.


Truck Driver Injured Last Week In Wreck Dies

December 21, EUCLID, OH - 28 year old Aaron Egan of Idaho Falls, ID whose semi crashed Saturday on Interstate 90 in Euclid died Tuesday from his injuries, city police said. “It appears it (semi) started to overturn and the trailer caught the guardrail on I-90, just east of where it intersects with Route 2,” police said. Egan was ejected from the vehicle.



Tanker Truck Driver Killed in Accident

December 21, CAMPBELL COUNTY, TN - 51 year old Timothy Payton of Leitchfield, KY was killed after the tanker truck he was driving overturned on Cotula Road Tuesday morning. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol Payton was driving the truck when it traveled off the left side of the road and overturned down a steep embankment. He was not wearing a seatbelt. The truck is owned by Regal Petroleum Company of Knoxville. It was carrying crude oil from a nearby oil well.


Industrial Accident Kills One

December 21, LITTLE ROCK, AR - 61 year old Frederick Bogor of Jacksonville was killed and another worker injured in an accident at Welspun Pipes in Little Rock. Little Rock Police are investigating the accident, but Captain Jason Weaver says it appears the two men were crushed between two, 2,000 pound pipes.


Driver Killed in Fiery Oil Tanker Accident

December 21, CANADIAN, TX - 26 year old Brandan Raines of Perryton died in a fiery one-vehicle crash Tuesday morning south of Canadian, the Department of Public Safety said. Raines was eastbound on state Highway 33 when the white Volvo truck he was driving veered off the right side of the road, DPS said. The truck and diesel fuel-filled tanker traveled about 150 feet in a barrow ditch before going into a skid, rolling over and bursting into flames.


Man Dies in Accident Involving Forklift

December 21, BURLINGTON, WA - 39 year old Kyle Willis was killed in a forklift accident at a Waste Management site in Burlington. The accident happened Tuesday in an area where recyclable materials are loaded and unloaded. Willis worked for Waste Management for 18 years.


Shipyard Worker Dies in Accident

December 20, HONOLULU, HI - 25 year old Andrew McPherson of Rye, Maine, who was injured in a fall from an electric cart on December 12, has died of the severe head injuries he sustained in the incident. McPherson was an apprentice electrician who was employed by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. McPherson was temporarily assigned to Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. The Pearl Harbor shipyard said in a statement Tuesday that the Navy is investigating the incident.


Worker Killed When Wall Collapses

December 20, CHIPPEWA FALLS, WI - 36 year old Kevin Kadrlick died and several others were injured when a concrete wall collapsed on a construction site. Police say workers had just finished pouring a concrete wall when the wall collapsed. It is unknown at this time what caused the wall to collapse. All workers were transported to a hospital where Kadrlick later died. Kadrlick was working for Lewis Construction who was working at the EOG Resources Sand Plant construction site in Chippewa Falls.


Grocery Store Clerk Killed During Robbery

December 20, DENVER, CO - A clerk at the Monaco Grocery, an Ethiopian grocery store, was shot and killed during an attempted robbery Monday night. The name of the 48 year old man has not been released. Two men wearing ski masks and dark clothing entered and attempted to rob the store and ended up shooting the clerk. UPDATE: Authorities have identified Yezew Anday as the clerk who was killed.


Attendant Killed During Robbery

December 20, BROOKLYN, NY - 45 year old Yevheniy Shamray was shot and killed by masked robbers Monday night. Shamray, a Russian immigrant, was recently hired by the Yellow and Brown Laundomat in Crown Heights. Police said he was cleaning the store when the robbers burst in shortly before midnight and shot him in the chest and leg.


Tree Trimmer Hit and Killed by Train

December 20, TRENTON, NJ - 44 year old William E. Kingrey of Camden, an employee for Asplundh Tree Expert Co., was struck and killed by a CSX train Monday. Asplundh employees were trimming trees on Duke Energy property with their vehicles parked on the south side of Elk Creek. At the time of the accident Kingrey “was crossing the trestle with his equipment to go to the other side to their work area.” “He got caught on the trestle and couldn’t get off the trestle in time before he was struck,” said Trenton police Chief Tim Traud.


Motorcycle Officer Killed in Accident

December 20, KILLEEN, TX - 33 year old Harker Heights Police Officer Andrew Rameas was killed Monday when his motorcycle collided with an SUV. Rameas was hired by an unnamed funeral home to escort a funeral procession. The SUV turned into Rameas' path and he hit the vehicle. An investigation continues.


Worker Crushed on Construction Site

December 20, FORT MEADE, VA - an unidentified worker was killed Monday afternoon at Fort Meade after an apparent accident at the site of construction at the new Defense Media Activity building. Base spokesman Chad Jones said the worker, an employee of the Hensel Phelps Construction Co., was found underneath a two-ton piece of iron. Emergency responders on base determined that he was still alive and rushed him to Laurel Regional Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. UPDATE: Authorities have identified the worker as 30 year old Roger Mayles of Baltimore, MD.


Mechanic Killed in Industrial Accident

December 19, BLUFFDALE, UT - Jason Webb, a mechanic for Ron Osborne Trucking, died early Sunday after his clothing became caught in a truck’s power takeoff shaft. Webb, who had worked for the company for the past 10 years, was pumping fuel from one truck to another, Osborne said. It was the man’s last task of the day and something he "did on an almost daily basis." He suffered massive head and body trauma in the accident.


Worker Electrocuted After Touching Live Line

December 19, SAN ANTONIO, TX - 48 year old Lacy McDonald was electrocuted and thrown from his ladder after he had climbed a utility pole and was trying to cut a power supply when the accident happened, a county fire chief said. He was apparently working alone and no information as to who he was working for was provided.


Police Recruit Dies After Suffering Injuries

December 18, NORFOLK, VA - 40 year old John Kohn died Saturday of injuries he suffered during training. According to investigators he was injured when he collided with another recruit during training December 9th. He was rushed to the hospital. The two recruits were learning self-defense tactics at the Norfolk Police Department Academy. Both were wearing protective gear at the time. Police are trying to figure out what happened during training that injured Kohn so severely.


Man Killed When Crushed Between Equipment

December 18, AUBURN, MI - 65 year old Edward J. Bylow of Battle Creek has died from injuries he suffered in an industrial incident in Bay County. Bylow was crushed between an excavator and a tractor-trailer on Saturday at 3536 S. Eight Mile in William Township, said state police from the Bay City Post. The address is listed on multiple websites as A-Jay’s Auto and RV Parts & Sale.


Restaurant Worker Killed During Robbery

December 18, DECATUR, GA - Gary Andrews was shot and killed during a robbery at the Church's Chicken restaurant on Flat Shoals Parkway and Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur on Saturday night. The restaurant owner said there were six employees working when two armed robbers entered at about 8 p.m. Police said the two men opened fire, shooting and killing Andrews. Five other employees escaped unharmed.


Security Guard Killed in Targeted Attack

December 18, ATLANTA, GA - 27 year old London Tucker, a security guard at an southwest towing company, was shot multiple times at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday while working. Tucker was shot after a sport utility vehicle pulled up and someone stepped out with an assault rifle, police told Channel 2 Action News. Officers said Tucker was clearly targeted in the attack.


Semi Driver Killed in Three Vehicle Crash

December 18, LAKE WELLS, FL - 47 year old Steven Vance Gatlin of Lakeland was killed when his semi collided with other vehicles and crashed. For unknown reasons, the semi drifted into another lane and as a result of the collision the semi rotated clockwise and jack-knifed, leaving the highway on the south shoulder. The semi rig overturned onto its left side and came to rest facing northeast in a ditch.


Shopkeeper Shot and Killed

December 18, WASHINGTON DC - 46 year old Raj Patel of the Brookland neighborhood of Washington DC was shot and killed when he walked out of the backroom of Newton's Food Mart as a robbery was taking place. Patel had been in the back of the store when the robbers arrived and accosted his wife and son, ordering them down on the floor. One of the thieves shot Patel as he emerged from a storage room, Patel's nephew said.


Dairy Farmer Killed, Trapped in Equipment

December 18, HERKIMER, NY - 34 year old Chester Charles Szeflinski suffered fatal injuries while working alone on the family's Szeflinski Dairy Farm. Szeflinski was caught in a manure spreader and found later in the afternoon by family members. State police speculated he may have been working to unclog frozen machinery.


Plane Crash Claims Life of Pilot

December 18, ESTHERWOOD, LA - 56 year old Jeffrey Dille of Sulfur who was piloting a plane owned by Joseph Taylor of Matagorda, TX died in a crash that also killed 2 passengers who were part of a skydiving trip. Another passenger and the plane's owner survived. It appears the plane lost power after take off and Dille attempted unsuccessfully to make it back to the runway.


Auto Shop Owner Crushed Under Car

December 17, TEMECULA, CA - 63 year old Robert Morales of Hemet, was crushed to death when working under a vehicle. Morlaes was repairing a car on a hydraulic lift when the rear of the vehicle slipped off the lift and fell on him around 8:40 a.m. at Rancho Auto Service & Smog, the shop he owned, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.


Worker Killed in Accident at Quarry

December 17, KEYMAR, MD - 35 year old John P. Gaither of Woodsboro died Friday at the S. W. Barrick & Sons quarry in Keymar, said Capt. Tim Clarke of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office. Gaither was killed after being trapped in a piece of machinery at the quarry that processes limestone. His death is being investigated by state agencies as well as federal mine safety officials.


Trash Collector Killed in Accident

December 17, MILFORD, PA - 45 year old Charles F. Kosiorek, of Richland, died when a garbage truck backed over him as he readied to pick up garbage at a home in Milford, state police said Friday. The truck's bumper struck Kosiorek, who then fell beneath moving tires, said police. The driver did not see his co-worker behind the truck.


McDonald's Employee Shot to Death

December 17, JEFFERSON CITY, MO - 44 year old Pamela Kellner died Friday night after a gunshot wound to her chest. Mrs. Kellner was working at a Jefferson City McDonald's when her husband shot her. Mr. and Mrs. Kellner had recently separated. Witnesses say they were sitting a booth and talking when the shooting occurred around 8:15 p.m.


Young Convenience Store Worker Shot and Killed

December 17, ALBANY, GA - 19 year old Sentos Vicente died of a gunshot when two black men in masks robbed the Miscelanea Guate-Mex convenience store at about 9:30 p.m. Friday, said an Albany Police Department official. When the robbers, one in a blue ski mask, demanded money Vicente refused, said Phyllis Banks, police spokeswoman. One gunman shot Vicente with a handgun and then both fled the store, she added.


School Maintenance Director Found Dead

December 16, BELLEVUE, IA - 57 year old David Herrig who was found unresponsive behind the high school building Wednesday afternoon, died Thursday. Herrig, director of buildings and grounds for Bellevue Community Schools, appeared to have fallen when he was found by two construction workers near a storage shed. The circumstance of his collapse are being investigated, according to Bellevue Community Schools Superintendent Mike Healy.


Firefighter Dies While on Duty

December 16, SULLIVAN, IN - 33 year old Chad Null died Thursday of an apparent heart attack while on duty. It was after several emergency runs on Thursday, that Null collapsed at the fire station. Fellow firefighters had left the room, and when they returned they found him on the floor.


Business Owner Killed in Shooting

December 16, KENDELL, FL - 48 year old Paul Barrow was found shot and critically wounded on the floor near the store’s office by a customer. As customers and employees found out about the shooting Thursday morning, they gathered outside Barrow’s Devonaire Service and Tire at the corner of 112th Street and SW 122nd Avenue. Barrow was a co-owner of the tire shop. The investigation by Miami-Dade Police expects that the case will become a murder investigation. Robbery is among possible motives.


Volunteer Fire Chief Dies From Heart Attack

December 13, MIDDEDGEVILLE, TN - 64 year old Jimmy Tuberville, Milledgeville Fire Department Volunteer Fire Chief, was working at the scene of a grass fire when he suffered an apparent heart attack. Chief Tuberville was a fire service veteran of more than 20 years.

Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

Store Owner Shot and Killed During Robbery

December 16, SUMMERFIELD, LA - 72 year old Brian "Butch" Bays was shot multiple times in the back during a robbery attempt of his store, Butch's Country Store and Bait Shop. Investigators are uncertain how much money was taken. Some money was left inside the store. A statewide alert has been issued for an older model white Oldsmobile occupied by two black males who are wanted for questioning in the deadly armed robbery.


Contractor Killed on Dam Construction Site

December 16, LANCASTER, PA - 59 year old Bruce Hardy of Bainbridge, a contractor employed by Walsh Construction, was killed Thursday morning when he was struck by a piece of construction equipment and wedged against the side of an excavation site at Holtwood Dam, according to state police in Lancaster. The contractors were working on a dam extension project, Thomas said, when a piece of equipment got stuck at the excavation site. A second piece of equipment was brought in to free the other one when a portion of the second piece of equipment swung and struck Hardy, police said.


Worker Shot and Killed by Co-Worker

December 16, MOUNT PLEASANT, TX - 35 year old Junior Lee Horton was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Vocational Opportunities Center of North East Texas by a co-worker. According to authorities, the gunman also killed his girlfriend at their home. It appears he was upset that her ex-boyfriend, Horton, had begun working at the same location. The gunman then sat in his truck and killed himself.


Trucker Killed in Crash

December 16, RICHLAND PARISH, LA - 48 year old Arliegh Myers of Dallas, TX died in an early Thursday morning crash on Interstate 20 in Richland Parish, according to Louisiana State Police. For unknown reasons, the semi went off the side of the Interstate, sideswiped another semi parked with a flat tire and then continued off the north side of the road, struck a culvert, overturned, and continued into the tree line before coming to rest.


Truck Driver Killed in Crash

December 16, REMINGTON, IN - 44 year old James Jones of Indianapolis was killed this morning in a two-semi crash on Interstate 65. Indiana State Police say another truck driver from North Carolina was traveling south and missed his exit. The driver then stopped and put the semi in reverse, and another semi driven by Jones hit the rear of the trailer. The driver and passenger of the semi who attempted to reverse on the roadway have been arrested.


Plant Employee Struck and Killed by Semi

December 16, HATTIESBURG, MS - 22 year old Justin L. Hawkins of Seminary, a maintenance worker at a Hattiesburg Marshall Durbin chicken processing plant was killed when he was hit by an 18-wheeler in the parking lot. Officials said Hawkins was standing in front of the 18-wheeler, which was moving very slowly. They said the driver didn't see Hawkins and ran over him.


Logger Killed by Falling Tree Limb

December 15, ATTICA, OH - 47 year old Steven E. Miller of Fredricksburg was killed Wednesday after being struck in the head by a limb while working in a privately owned woods near Attica. According to the Sheriff's office, it appeared a limb snapped off a tree Miller was cutting down with a gas-powered chain saw. The limb, which he estimated at 6 to 8 feet long, had been about 20 feet from the top of the poplar tree, which was estimated at more than 100 feet tall. Miller was owner of S. Miller Excavating, LLC.


Prison Officer Dies Suddenly

December 15, DEER LODGE, MT - 53 year old Kevin Stigen, Corrections Officer for Montana State Prison, died suddenly at approximately 11:30PM Wednesday evening while on duty. No cause of death has been given.


Painter Dies From Injuries Suffered in Accident

December 15, GALVESTON, TX - 35 year old Eric Sanchez of Hitchcock has died after suffering a crushing chest injury in a workplace accident Dec 1. Sanchez was operating a one-arm hydraulic lift while painting a building at the Pointe West subdivision when he became wedged between the bucket lift’s railing and a corner of the building, a fire official said. Co-workers found Sanchez, lowered him to the ground and called for help. Firefighters found him barely breathing but maintaining a pulse.


Ambulance Worker Killed While Helping Accident Victim

December 15, MONTGOMERY, AL - 29 year old Laura Elizabeth Pullam of Lowndesboro is dead after being hit by a vehicle while assisting victims of a wreck on Interstate 65 near Montgomery. Troopers say Pullam was helping victims of a crash when she was struck and fatally injured by a pickup truck Wednesday morning. Authorities say the truck was speeding and passing other vehicles that had slowed down because of icy road conditions.


Worker Dies in Explosion at Recycling Station

December 14, SOUTH BEND, IN - 45 year old Jonathan Atkinson was killed after welding materials sparked a small explosion and fire at the Green Tech Transfer & Recycling Station, according to fire investigators. Two other people suffered from burns and smoke inhalation during the explosion and subsequent fire in a machine shop at the recycling station at 2400 Green Tech Drive.


Worker Killed in Accident Involving Wood Chipper

December 14, RAINBOW, CA - 49 year old Martimiano Morales Carreon was killed Tuesday afternoon when he fell into a commercial wood chipper while clearing trees near an avocado grove in the Rainbow area of northern San Diego County, authorities said. Carreon, working with his adult son, was using his foot to push a large pile of branches through the chipper when he became entangled and was pulled into the machine. The son stopped the machine and pulled his father out, but he had suffered major trauma to his lower extremities and died at the scene, sheriff's officials said.


Border Patrol Agent Shot and Killed

December 14, NOGALES, AZ - 40 year old Brian A. Terry, Agent for the Border Patrol, was shot and killed in a gun battle Tuesday night came after agents spotted suspected bandits known for targeting illegal immigrants along a violent smuggling corridor, National Border Patrol Council President T.J. Bonner said. The shooting occurred in the Border Patrol's Tucson sector, the busiest gateway for illegal immigrants into the United States.


Worker Killed by Falling Refrigerator

December 14, MILWAUKEE, WI - an unidentified man was killed when a refrigerator thrown from an upper floor of a building in Milwaukee hit him. Milwaukee police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz says a construction crew was clearing some contents of a building Tuesday when workers tossed the fridge off a balcony. She says they called out "All clear," but one worker walked out and was struck. UPDATE: Authorities have identified 33 year old Rafa Chmura as the worker who was killed.


Worker Dies in Trench Collapse

December 14, NEWBERRY, PA - 20 year old Jory Raber III of Etters was killed after being buried in a trench in the 700 block of Old Trail Road, which runs parallel to Interstate 83. He was trapped in a hole that was about 15 feet deep for more than 12 hours. Raber and another worker were in a trench to place a drainage pipe while a construction company owner, who is Raber's father, was above the trench using a track hoe.


Crash Kills Semi Driver

December 13, CEDAR FALLS, NE - 54 year old Robert Douglas Turnage died from injuries he sustained when his semi truck left the roadway and struck an embankment. Officials are not sure why the vehicle left the road. He was pronounced dead at the scene.


Third Worker Dies as Result of Explosion

December 13, NEW CUMBERLAND, WV - 27 year old Steve Swain, an employee of AL Solutions, has died as a result of an explosion at the plant Dec 9, which also killed two brothers, Jeffery and James Fish. Swain had been in critical condition since Thursday's blast. His stepfather, Rick Holbrook, told WTOV of Steubenville, Ohio, that the family removed Swain from the ventilator. The incident is still under investigation.


Taxi Driver Found Dead

December 12, LONG ISLAND, NY - 19 year old Juan Rosario, an employee of 5 Star Taxi Service, was found dead in his taxi minivan with a gun shot wound to his head. A person who lives at the address that Rosario was sent to said no one there called for a cab.


Sheriff Deputy Hit and Killed by Motorist

December 12, WINTER HAVEN, FL - 60 year old Sgt. Wesley Whitmore, of the Polk County Sheriff Department, was fatally struck by an elderly motorist who authorities say had blacked out behind the wheel seconds before the crash occurred, Sheriff Grady Judd said Monday. Whitmore had pulled over a car and was exiting his vehicle when the other driver turned into the parking lot, veered out of control, struck the corner of an adjacent business and the business' owner before hitting Whitmore's patrol car, which hit the deputy.


Pawn Shop Owner Murdered

December 11, TOLEDO, OH - William Carswell was shot and killed Saturday afternoon. Authorities say an employee stepped out of the shop to buy some batteries, and left Carswell alone with two unknown men. When the employee returned several minutes later, he found the victim in the back room with a gun shot wound to his back.


Farmer Dies in Tractor Accident

December 11, GOODRICH, WI - 57 year old Rodney Bergmann died Tuesday following a tractor accident on Dec. 12. Taylor County Sheriff Bruce Daniels said officers responded at 8:27 a.m. Saturday to a report that Bergmann was pinned between the tractor and a tree limb while plowing snow.


Ski Patroller Dies of Heart Attack

December 11, JEFFERSON COUNTY, ID - 52 year old Steven Edward Yount died of a massive heart attack as he was on a ski lift doing maintenance, preparing for the opening of the Kelly Canyon Ski Hill. They were riding the chair lift when the incident occurred. His companion ski patrollers heard a noise and looked back to see him on the ground. Within minutes, they arrived on scene and started CPR. An autopsy concluded that the victim died of a massive heart attack.


Road Construction Worker Dies in Bulldozer Rollover

December 10, BAXTER, TN - 37 year old Jerry Ray Mathis died when the bulldozer he was operating on a steep embankment hit a small ledge, tilted back, and rolled end-over-end down the hill, says a report by Deputy Roy Phipps. When the machine began to roll over Mathis was thrown against the steel top cage and suffered a head injury and then was thrown out onto the ground, where other workers rushed to his aid, the report says. The accident happened off Highway 62 in the eastern part of the county near the Fentress County line on Friday.


Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in Crash

December 10, ELK CITY, OK - 53 year old Steven Mitchell Campbell died a crash on State Highway 152 about 2.2 miles east of Sweetwater. Campbell was driving a tractor-trailer east when his rig hit an embankment and the trailer went over the top of the cab, the patrol reports.


Injured Worker Later Found Dead

December 10, DECATUR, AL - 48 year old Beverly Brown, an employee for Wayne Farms, was found on the locker room floor late Friday evening. A family member said Brown fell down several steps and attempted to get checked out by medical personal but was never seen. She was found later on the floor and was taken to Parkway Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.


Stable Owner Killed When Roof Collapses Under Heavy Snow

December 9, RIVER FALLS, WI - 58 year old Kenneth Swanson, owner of Planview Stables, was killed when the roof of a metal livestock structure collapsed under heavy snow, pinning him in the debris. Swanson's wife became concerned when he did not return from working outside. She discovered the building had collapsed but could not find her husband, said St. Croix County Sheriff Dennis Hillstead.


Construction Worker Knocked Off Beam, Dies

December 9, SOUTH BRYAN, GA - an unidentified construction worker died when he was knocked off a beam while working on a new middle school in South Bryan. The man was standing on a concrete beam with a metal truss between his legs. A boom of a crane moved and a cable pulled the truss, which caught the man under his left thigh which caused him to be flipped off the wall and he landed head first on the concrete floor.


Worker Hit by Truck at Ship Channel

December 9, HOUSTON, TX - an unidentified female employee of Gulf Stream Marine was killed when the driver of a tractor trailer struck her after checking into the company's terminal near the Houston Ship Channel, officials said. The employee approached the rear of the tractor trailer and was marking the cargo to be delivered at the terminal, officials said. The driver proceeded forward and struck the woman, who was standing in between the rear tandems of the trailer. She died at the scene.


Man Found Crushed Inside Compactor

December 9, WHITHARRAL, TX - Timothy Duane Hanna of Littlefield died after he got trapped inside the truck's garbage compacting compartment. Hanna was the owner/operator of "Country Dumpsters" and had been contracted to remove garbage for the Whitharral School District. His truck was found parked behind the high school, where Hanna had been working.

Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

Tanker Truck Explosion Kills Worker

December 9, FORD CITY, PA - 26 year old Gregory Bish, a West Penn Energy employee, was killed as he and a co-worker attempted to unfreeze a pipe fitting at the rear of the water truck. Using a propane torch, they both were applying heat to the pipe fitting when the explosion occurred. Bish was struck with a rear inspection plate of the tank as it tore away from the tank, according to the coroner's report.


Chemical Plant Explosion Kills Two Brothers

December 9, NEW CUMBERLAND, WV - 39 year old Jeffery Scott Fish and 38 year old James E. Fish, brothers,were killed in an explosion and fire at a chemical plant owned by AL Solutions. The explosion and fire started in a single-story production building where titanium powder is used to make an alloying agent used in the aluminium industry, said Ken Kline, chief financial officer of AL Solutions.


Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in Crash

December 9, MADISON, TX - 60 year old Gary Steven Thomas of Houston died after crashing his 18-wheeler. According to state troopers he was was driving northbound on Interstate 45 when his truck entered the grassy center median, struck a cable barrier, and rolled onto its side.


Deputy Shot and Killed During Traffic Stop

December 8, ORANGE COUNTY, FL - Brandon Coates, a Deputy for the Orange County Sheriff's Department, was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Wednesday night. Authorities said they've learned the traffic stop resulted in some type of struggle that led to Coates deploying his Taser gun. "At some point, the deputy was shot in the head twice and succumbed to his injuries after being transported to Orlando Regional (Medical Center), where the trauma team worked on him diligently for quite some time," Sheriff Demings said.


Grain Silo Collapse Kills One

December 8, NASHVILLE, AR - 48 year oldJohnny Needham was killed when a grain silo collapsed at Tyson Foods' feed mill in Nashville. A spokesman for Tyson says the silo collapsed about 2:30 a.m. Thursday. The cause of the collapse remains under investigation.


EMS Worker Killed In Crash of Ambulance

December 8, HENRYVILLE, IN - 50 year old David J. Gundle of Memphis was killed when the ambulance he was riding in went off the road and crashed into a tree. “It appeared from the preliminary investigation the ambulance was heading eastbound on 160 and left the southside of the roadway and struck quite a large tree almost head on,” Adams said.


Man Killed in Accident on Farm

December 8, MARION, PA - 26 year old Joseph Weil was killed in a farming accident. Weil was operating a White 2-155 diesel tractor on his farm and became pinned underneath around 4 p.m., according to township police officer Paul Smith.


Firefighter Dies After Training Exercises

December 7, VAN WYCK, SC - 64 year old Dillon C. Denton, a Lieutenant for Lancaster County Fire Service, died Tuesday after participating in fire training activities Monday. Denton complained of not feeling well after the activities and was transported to an area hospital after getting worse. Denton died Tuesday after being diagnosed with a brain aneurysm, said Stephen Blackwelder, Lancaster County Fire Marshal.


Pipeline Worker Crushed by Pipe

December 7, ELKO, NV - 61 year old Charles Kuhn of Dresden, OH was killed while working on a section of the Ruby Pipeline natural gas pipeline being installed in Elko, NV. A sheriff's sergeant says Kuhn was working on a section of pipe next to the trench when it started to roll. He was knocked into the trench and the pipe fell on top of him. Houston-based El Paso Corp. is building the 680-mile pipeline but Kuhn was employed by contractor Precision Pipeline LLC of Eau Claire, Wis.


Man Dies After Being Caught in Auger

December 6, PLYMOUTH, WI - 55 year old Larry Wadel has died in an industrial accident. A Deputy Coroner says Wadel was cleaning the auger at the rear of a dump truck-snowplow when a piece of his clothing apparently became entangled in the auger and partially pulled him in. He was pronounced dead at the scene.


Postal Carrier Shot and Killed While on Route

December 5, MIAMI-DADE, FL - 60 year old Bruce Parton of Pembroke Pines was shot and killed on his delivery route earlier in a north Miami-Dade apartment complex. The gunman took off in the letter carrier's mail truck, but abandoned it a short distance away on the street before fleeing on foot. Authorities are not sure robbery was the motive and have offered a $25,000 reward for the gunman's capture.


Metro Track Repairman Hit and Killed by Equipment

December 5, WASHINGTON, DC - 63 year old Michael Nash of Silver Spring, MD, a Metro track repairman, was killed in an accident on the Orange Line Sunday night. Nash, a spotter, was working as part of a crew replacing cross ties near the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metro station when he was struck by a ballast regulator, a large piece of equipment that spreads gravel onto the track bed. Metro GM Catoe said the agency had not identified any equipment failure, and that "there is no indication here that the operator did not perform their job correctly.


Truck Driver Crushed While Changing Tire

December 5, LAS VEGAS, NV - 63 year old Jose Ayala-Sarabia of Las Vegas was killed on Sunday after being crushed by a tractor-trailer that fell and trapped him while he was attempting to change a tire, according to Las Vegas Metro police. Fire and rescue crews freed Ayala-Sarabia and rushed him to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.


Construction Worker Falls to Death Off Bridge

December 5, SEDGWICK, ME - 29 year old Erico Gasques of New Jersey, an employee for a Pennsylvania contractor, died after falling from a bridge on Route 15 in Sedgwick Sunday afternoon. Gasques suffered massive head trauma from the fall and died from his head injuries while enroute to the hospital.


Miner Dies When Coal Truck Overturns

December 4, SCARBRO, WV - an unidentified miner was killed Saturday when the coal-hauling truck he was driving overturned at a Massey Energy Co. mine site in West Virginia. An MSHA spokesman said the crash may have caused by faulty brakes and icy roads. UPDATE: Authorities have identified Charles Qualls as the driver who was killed in the accident.


Pipeline Worker Killed

December 4, LARAMIE, WY - 62 year old Elvin Loggins of Bronson, TX, a welder, was killed while helping to build a natural gas pipeline. He was apparently crushed by a large section of pipe. The pipeline is being built for Snelson Companies, Inc.


Co-Driver of Semi Truck Dies in Crash

December 4, HUNTINGTON, OR - 45 year old Christina Maria Cooks, of Monahans, TX, died Saturday when a Wild West Express truck loaded with 40,000 lbs of frozen food crashed on an icy stretch of I-84 in OR. State police believe Cook, the truck's co-driver, was in the sleeper berth at the time of the crash. The driver lost control on a icy curve which caused the truck to crash through a guard rail and roll down a hill coming to rest just above the banks of the Burnt River, a tributary of the Snake River.


Head-On Crash Claims Life of Truck Driver

December 3, CLIFTON FORGE, VA - 44 year old Ashley Cleon Weikle, a driver for Team Carriers and also a volunteer firefighter in Clifton Forge, was killed in a tractor trailer accident on Interstate 64 Friday. The driver of the other semi went into the median and crossed into the path of Weikle's truck.


Deputy Shot and Killed Responding to Call

December 3, RIPLEY, MS - 62 year old Dewayne Crenshaw, a Tippah County Sheriff's Deputy, was shot and killed when he and his partner were responding to a disturbance call. Crenshaw encountered a suspect and a struggle ensued in which Crenshaw was shot. The suspect was arrested and charged with capital murder.


Worker Killed by Co-Worker After Argument

December 3, COLUMBUS, OH - 20 year old Donald Damron was fatally shot during a shift change by a co-worker in the parking lot of a warehouse where he worked. Witness statements indicate that the two men — both temporary, seasonal employees of the warehouse, which is operated by Exel Logistics — were arguing over a girl, Portier said. The suspect was apprehended and charged with murder.


Worker Crushed in Incident at Manufacturing Plant

December 3, TOWANDA, PA - 63 year old Ray E. Keeney, Jr of Nichols was killed in an industrial accident early Friday morning at the heavy truck entrance to the Craftmaster Manufacturing Inc. factory on Leisure Drive in Wysox. Police said Keeney was standing beside his tractor trailer loaded with trees and was probably adjusting load straps as another tractor-trailer, which was leaving the factory, stopped after exiting an area with weigh scales. Keeney fell backward and landed under the rear axle of the other truck as it started to move again, police said.


Worker Crushed Removing Telephone Pole

December 3, CHICAGO, IL - 56 year old Mervin Yoder of Kaneville, was killed early Friday morning when a telephone pole fell on him in Chicago. According to the Chicago Police News Service, Yoder was a tree-removal contractor who had been hired to remove telephone poles near a railroad embankment in the 4100 block of South Cicero Avenue. At about 3:23 a.m., the pole fell on Yoder.


Sheriff Department Chief Found Dead

December 3, ROCK ISLAND, OK - 40 year old Randy Colwell, Chief for Leflore County Sheriff's Department, was found in his town hall office Friday afternoon. LeFlore County Undersheriff Donnie Edwards said that at about 3 p.m., another officer found Colwell unresponsive in a chair. Investigators from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation were at the scene because Colwell died while on duty. Officials told 40/29 News they don't suspect foul play in Colwell's death.


Fall From Scaffolding Claims Life of Young Father

December 2, PLYMOUTH, MA - 24 year old Bryan Prairie, a window washer who fell from scaffolding three stories to his death at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park had taken the job this summer while looking for work as a nurse, his father said Friday. Prairie was working for Consider It Done Cleaning to support his wife and 5-month-old son. The young man, who graduated from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., had just passed his nursing boards in July after earning degrees in biology and nursing.


Worker Dies in Industrial Accident

December 2, ROSEBORO, NC - 36 year old Terry Robinson died Thursday after an accident involving a forklift at the Food Lion Distribution Center in Harnett County. An investigation continues. No other information is available.


Fiery Crash Kills Truck Driver

December 2, TACOMA, WA - 71 year old Bob Wiesen of Ferndale died when it appears he backed his semi into another truck and it exploded into flames. The first crews on scene found a tractor trailer engulfed in flames. Firefighters put the fire out, and when they were investigating they found what appeared to be a body in the cab of the truck. Friends of Wiesen say he is the driver who died in the flames. "From what I understand, it was pretty foggy this morning and for semi-trucks, back there it is a pretty tight area. So there is a lot of things that could have been involved that could have led up to the accident," said Andrew Hankins, Tacoma Police Department.


Man Dies in Farm Tractor Accident

December 1, WAYNOKA, OK - 49 year old Murl Alan Knapp was killed Wednesday when he was run over by a tractor in Woods County. Knapp, and his brother, were unhooking a 15-foot brush mower from the tractor when the brother then tried to start the tractor by jumping the starter solenoid, according to the report. The tractor was in reverse and when it started it ran over Knapp.


OSHA Probes Worker Death

November 29, ASHLAND CITY, TN - 47 year old Julio Colon-Figueroa of Springfield has been identified by police as the person who died in an accident at Trinity Marine in Ashland. According to the police report, Colon-Figueroa was lying on the ground next to a large piece of metal when authorities arrived on the scene and he was bleeding from his head. was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, but was pronounced dead en route, according to the police report.

Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

Elevator Repairman Dies in Accident

December 3, LOUISVILLE, KY - 69 year old William L. Motley has died after being pinned & trapped in an elevator shaft while fixing an elevator at Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital. Jefferson County Deputy Coroner Jim Wesley says Motley died of multiple blunt force injuries and asphyxia. Wesley says Motley was pinned against the inside shaft ladder.


Accident at Paper Company Claims One Life

December 2, HOWARD, WI - 41 year old Michael M. Leroy of Appleton, an employee for Faith Technologies of Menasha, was performing routine electrical maintenance at a paper plant when he was killed in an accident. Leroy and his co-worker were working on a scissor lift when it was hit by a forklift operated by a Hattiesburg Paper employee. The impact caused the lift to tip over, the sheriff's department said. One worker remained suspended from a safety harness latched to the lift, while it appears Leroy fell to the floor and got pinned underneath the scaffolding.


Collision Causes Truck Driver Death

December 1, JENA, LA - 48 year old Marvin E. Price, the driver of a garbage truck in LaSalle Parish, died in an accident involving another driver. Price was driving south on La. Highway 127 with a co-worker passenger when another motorist crossed the centerline and collided with the garbage truck, police said. The collision sent the garbage truck off the roadway and into a tree. Price was not wearing a seatbelt at the time. Price's passenger and the other motorist suffered moderate injuries.


University of North Dakota Employee Dies

December 1, GRAND FORKS, ND - 74 year old Loran Carl who was struck by a car in September has died. Carl was hit by a driver on September 8 on the university campus and suffered a brain injury, broken bones and has been in a coma at a long term care facility since the accident. No charges will be filed against the driver due to certain circumstances.


MT Trooper Shot to Death

December 1, THREE FORKS, MT - 23 year old Trooper David Delaittre, a member of the Montana Highway Patrol for two years, was shot and killed during a routine traffic stop Wednesday afternoon. Few details are provided but a massive manhunt for the suspect, another man from Three Forks, began and he was found several hours later, dead.


Worker Killed in Industrial Accident in WI

December 1, SUPERIOR, WI - 43 year old Kelly Yadon was found dead in the early morning hours of the FNSF Railway Taconite Facility. “When my crews arrived, they found the patient pinned between two steel beams beside a conveyer belt,” Superior Fire Department Battalion Chief Steve Edwards said. “They ended up using equipment to cut the man out from under the beam and then proceeded to perform CPR.” Yadon was pronounced dead at the scene.


Farmer Pinned Under Tractor Dies

December 1, ALEXANDRIA, OH - 50 year old Bruce Moore was killed while working on his farm Wednesday. Moore was found by a family member at about 5:36 p.m., pinned by a piece of farming equipment on property near his home. By the time emergency officials arrived, Moore was dead, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.


Company V.P. Dies From Fall

November 30, WEST YARMOUTH, MA - 56 year old Paul Ciochini, Vice President of Advanced Imaging Technologies, died in a fall at his warehouse. Ciochini fell from a second story loft where machines are stored for parts and rehabilitation, according to fellow employees. "We may never know what caused him to fall, whether he tripped or slipped. It was just a terrible, horrible, tragic accident," said his wife, Denise. "It's all so hard to imagine. He left for work Tuesday morning and never came home."


Worker Dies After Becoming Trapped Under Tractor

November 30, AMAGANSETT, NY - 35 year old Joshua M. Levine of Sag Harbor was killed at an Amagansett farm on Tuesday morning after he was trapped under the tire of a tractor he had been operating. Police are still investigating how Levine became trapped under the tractor at Quail Hill Farm, a community-supported farm that is owned and operated by the Peconic Land Trust.


Farm Worker Crushed Under Falling Windmill

November 30, EDEN VALLEY, MN - 52 year old Patrick Ladd was killed Tuesday while working to clear snow on a farm. Ladd was using a small loader tractor to push snow when he apparently hit an old windmill on the property. The windmill collapsed and fell on the tractor as Ladd was trying to back up. The West Central Tribune of Willmar reports the tractor got hung up on a steel post and was still running when another employee of Langmo Farms discovered Ladd.


Farmer Killed by Bull

November 30, CLARKSBURG, MA - 78 year old Paul Marshall was killed by a bull that he was trying to lead back to its pasture. Marshall was leading a bull and eight cows that had escaped from their pasture back to the farm when the bull turned on him. Marshall was pronounced dead at the scene.


Farmer Dies When Clothes Caught in Auger

November 30, TRIANGLE, NY - 68 year old Larry Mullen died from asphyxiation Monday after his clothing got caught in the rotating power takeoff of a manure spreader, state police said. After Mullen’s clothing got caught, he was pulled close to the machine and pinned against the side, cutting off his air, Investigator Tim Mulvey said. He was working on the farm owned by his family.


Truck Driver Killed in Semi Crash

November 30, DAVIDSON COUNTY, NC - 61 year old Cleveland Sims of Atlanta, GA died in a single-vehicle accident on Interstate 85 in eastern Davidson County Tuesday afternoon. Police said Sims was traveling south when he ran off the road to the right and struck a guardrail before careening back across the interstate and running off the road. The truck cab then hit some trees and overturned.


One Dead in Industrial Accident

November 30, PULLMAN, WA - 33 year old David E. Zorb of Pullman was killed and another was seriously injured in an industrial accident according to the Whitman County Sheriff's Office. Zorb died at the Shawnee Rock industrial site on Whelan Road after a semi-tractor trailer he was working on fell from a hoist and crushed him, according to Sheriff Brett Myers.


Man Dies After Falling From Trailer

November 30, ISHPEMING, MI - 41 year old Michael Pauna died from what appears to be an accidental fall. Pauna was found lying on his back next to his flatbed trailer at the Midway Rentals and Sales parking lot in Negaunee Township. A State Police investigation revealed Pauna had fallen the previous day while working in Newberry. He returned to Marquette and was checked at the hospital where he was treated and released. Police say his injuries are consistent with falling from the semi-truck that was parked on the flatbed trailer.


Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in Crash

November 30, BUCHANAN, VA - 57 year old Sukhdev Singh Deol of Frisco, TX died Tuesday night when his tractor trailer ran off Interstate 81 near Buchanan. Troopers say his rig ran off the road, hit a guard rail and overturned. Deol was wearing a seatbelt but died at the scene.


EMT Dies of Seizure

November 29, SCRANTON, PA - 35 year old John Demkosky of Dunmore died Monday after an apparent seizure in his ambulance in West Scranton. Demkosky, who worked for Lackawanna Ambulance, seized and went into cardiac arrest about 8:45 a.m. as his vehicle was parked and waiting for calls, Deputy Coroner Tim Rowland said. He was rushed to Mercy Hospital, where he died in the emergency room.


Farmer Dies in Accident Involving Semi Trailer

November 29, CROMWELL, IN - 87 year old Nellis D. Kunce died Monday morning after he got too close to the wheels of a semi-tractor trailer and was run over while unloading the truck at a farm in rural Noble County. Kunce had been assisting with unloading the semi at his residence when he got too close to the rear semi-trailer wheels while the vehicle was being moved and was run over.


Road Surveyor Hit and Killed by Driver

November 29, HOUGHTON, MI - 61 year old Gerald Hyrkas of Laurium died and another co-worker was injured in a crash in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Police say the men were surveying in the area when they were struck by a southbound car being driven by a 20-year-old Marquette woman. Both men were taken to a hospital, where Hyrkas died.


Pizza Delivery Man Hit by Car

November 29, BRONX, NY - 26 year old Edmund Pllumaj was died after he was hit by a car after making a pizza delivery. Pllumaj had just gotten out of his parked car after making a delivery and was crossing the avenue to his job at Nona's Pizza, witnesses said. He died at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Yonkers.


Farmer Knocked Off Tractor by Car Dies

November 28, IMLAY CITY, MI - 22 year old Russell Roszczewski was killed around 9 a.m. Sunday after the tractor he was driving was struck by a vehicle, according to the Lapeer County Sheriff's Office. As he was trying to turn left into his driveway, another vehicle was in the process of trying to pass Roszczewski when he was turning. Roszczewski was struck and ejected from the tractor.


Taxi Driver Killed by Wrong Way Driver

November 28, KANSAS CITY, KS - 67 year old Mududin Sheikh Nur was killed when another driver entered Interstate 35 going the wrong way and crashed head on into the cab. Alcohol may have been a factor in the crash.


Taxi Driver Dies in Crash

November 27, HOLLYWOOD, FL - 26 year old Jean Ellie Charles died after his car inexplicably slammed into a Hollywood home early Friday. According to police, Charles was behind the wheel of a Friendly Checker cab that crashed through a wooden fence and into the unoccupied bedroom of a home. "It looks like it might be natural causes," Police Lt Marino said, adding that the official autopsy results are pending.


Chicago Officer Shot and Killed

November 26, CHICAGO, IL - 46 year old Michael Flisk, a police evidence technician, died from a gunshot wound Friday. He was collecting evidence at a burglary scene when he, and another individual, were shot. Police said there is no information on a motive at this time. They have a suspect's description.


Firefighter Found Unconscious at Firehouse

November 26, BROOKLYN, NY - 41 year old Gary M. Valentino died Friday after he was found unconscious at a firehouse in Brooklyn. He had gone to rest after stating he wasn’t feeling well. The cause of Firefighter Valentino’s death is still to be determined and not considered suspicious.


Young Firefighter Dies of Heart Attack

November 25, REHOBOTH, MA - 33 year old Ken Marshall Jr. died on a fire call on Thanksgiving. Marshall Jr., a 15-year veteran of the fire department, died around 9:30 p.m. after going into cardiac arrest while responding to a fire alarm for a house on Oak Street.


Armored Car Employee Dies in Crash

November 25, CORVALLIS, OR - 24 year old Joseph Michael Pablo, Jr. who was in the back of a Loomis Armored Car, died when the truck crashed and rolled over. He was working as the "jumper", someone who would go from the back of the armored vehicle into the bank with the money and sign the paperwork. The truck was headed south and veered off the right side of the road, hit a tree and rolled several times before coming to rest on its roof.


Bus Driver Hit and Killed Along Roadway

November 25, WASHINGTON, DC - 37 year old Keith Dodson, a Metrobus driver was struck and killed early Thursday morning by a tractor-trailer as he tended to his disabled bus along Interstate 395 in Arlington County. A red Nissan car was slowing to avoid the bus when it was struck from behind by a tractor-trailer. The colliding vehicles swerved onto the shoulder and avoided the bus, however, the truck hit Dodson.


Country Club Worker Killed by Golf Ball

November 25, SANFORD, FL - 42 year old Maurice Hayden died after being struck by a golf ball. Police say Hayden was doing maintenance work at the Mayfair Country Club in Sanford on Wednesday when he was struck in the temple by a golfer's tee shot. He was taken to Central Florida Regional Hospital where police say he died Thursday after being removed from life support.


Roofer Dies in Fall From Roof

November 24, KNOXVILLE, TN - 36 year old Danny W. Johnson of New Market, an employee of Reed Construction, died after he fell while installing a roof in the Forks of the River Industrial Park. The KCSO report states Johnson "bent over to pick something up and slipped and fell off the roof of the building." Johnson fell from a warehouse at 5008 N. National Drive.